Nutating axis rotary compressor



NQV. 22 1949 D. o. MANSEAU 3 NUTATING AXIS ROTARY CQMPRESSOR Filed June 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f. j INVENTOR.

9 David 67. Manama A WENN NW, 22, 1949 D. o. MANSEAU 2,489,041

NUTATING AXIS ROTARY COMPRESSOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

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Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PAT EN T D FF ICE NIT-EATING AXIS-ROTARY COMPRESSOR David O. Manseau, Berkley, Mich.

Application June 14, 1946,1Se'rialNo. 676.626

} 7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to pumps for com pressors, and more particularly to a mite/ting axis rotary compressor designed to compress gaseous refrigerant in rei rigeratois ior commercial and industrial uses.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved compressor unit wherein the ratio of the fluid compressing capacity to weight is a maximum.

Another object of the invention is toprovidea motor-compressor unit having a minimum number of moving parts to provide a source :of fluid pressure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a motor-compressor having a single rotating element which functions both as the rotor of an electric motor and as the driving element of the compressor unit.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a compressor having an improved valve system to increase the pumping capacity and reduce the re-expansion of fluid between the pumping impeller and the outlet valves.

Another object of the invention is to provide an effective and efficient valve for a fluid compressor, said valve having but one moving part and having a volumetrically small passage to the pumping chamber.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a valve having no close tolerances, low mechanical stresses, long life and which is economical to manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, submitted for purposes of illustration only and not intended to define the scope of the invention, reference being had for that purpose to the subjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation showing my improved motor-compressor.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially 2 tion it is-to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details :of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

Also it is to be understood that the phraseology.

or terminology employed herein is for the purpose oi description and not of limitation.

Referring now to the drawings it will be observed that my compressor is inclosed in a shelllike housing 10 having an inverted cup-like bottom 12 secured in gas tight relation to the housing H] as by Welding to form a reservoir for the compressed fluid as well as to form an enclosure for the motor-compressor unit.

-A motor housing I4 is mounted on the bottom 12 of the housing In. The motor housing 14 has an upper part I6 providing support and bearings for the motor parts and has a cylindrical outer portion H3 in close fitting relationship with the housing In to form an upper support for the compressor mechanism. A lower part 20 of generally tubular shape encloses the compressor unit 22 and is provided with base flanges 2'4 to receive bolts 26 by which the motor housing I4 is secured in the housing It). I

The electric motor which drives the compressor unit comprises stationary 'iield parts '28 fixedly mounted in the cylindrical outer portion 18 of the motor housing l4 and a rotor '31) fixed to a shaft 32 jdurnaled in a bearing 3i carried by the upper part l6 of the housing 14. The shaft 32 at its lower end carries an enlarged element 36 having a crank .pin 50 to drive the compressor unit '22.

The compressor unit 22 consists of the driving crank pin 50, -a gyra'tory impeller -38, an abutment member -40 and a pad 42 provided with inlet valves '44 and outlet valves '46.

The driving element has ahead it of substantially cylindrical form to which is fixedly secured the crank pin 50 journaled in the impeller 3%. The crank pin 50 is dispiac'ed radially from the axis -52 of the shaft 32, and has its axis 54 inclin'ed so as to intersect the axis 52 at the center of gyrations 56 of the impeller 38, thus forming with shaft 32 a nutating axis.

The impeller 3'8 consists of -'a member 58 having a bearing 62 to receive the crank pin 50, and has an internal spherical socket "6'4 and radial grooves 66 to receive the abutment member The member 58 has a substantially flat disk-like lower portion 68 formed with a plane under surface designed to engage the upper surface of the 3 pad 42 in rolling contact therewith. The disklike portion 68 is extended radially beyond the pad 42 to provide a mounting for a bearing shell 60 secured to the member 58 as by means of screws 10.

The bearing shell 60 is formed as a portion of a hollow sphere, the inside surface being shaped to form a bearing 22 to slidably engage the outer spherical surface of the pad 42.

The abutment member 40 shown in detail in the upper portion of Fig. 3 has a spherical central portion T4 to project into the spherical sockets 64 and 8B and has radially extended substantially flat wall forming portions or blades I6. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the upper edges of the wall portions I6 are semicylindrically shaped to provide a bearing for the slight rocking motion between the abutment and the impeller and to provide a partition between the spaced pumping chambers. The wall portions or blades I6 extend to and follow the contour of tluie bearing I2 to the lower edge I8 of the shell 6 The pad shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4 is gen-- erally cylindrical in shape, having a spherical zone 80, and a irustoconical upper surface 82 having its geometrical apex at 56. The upper portion of the pad 42 is slotted at 84 to receive the blades and the central portion is provided with a socket 80 to receive and position the spherical portion 24 of the abutment 40. The pad 42 is provided with inlet valve chambers 88 and outlet valve chambers 90 extending through the lower portion of the pad as shown in Fig. 3.

The lower portion of the pad 42 has a cylindrical outside surface 92 fixedly mounted within a spacer 94. The spacer 94 closes the space between the motor housing I4 and the pad 42 and secures the pad in its non-rotatable position. The spacer 94 is provided with bores 96 communicating with the outlet chambers 90 and forming a portion of the fluid outlet passages.

Since the inlet and exhaust valves in each of the spaced pumping chambers I06 are similar they will be described singularly for purposes of clarity.

The inlet valve 44 as shown in Fig. 2 and shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4, consists of a resilient ball 98, a cylindrical fiat ended chamber 88 formed in the pad 42 and provided with screw threads I00, and a valve seat member I02. The chamber 88 is connected by a diagonally extending small bore I04 to the inlet side of one or the pumping chambers I06.

drical in form, and is provided with screw threads I08 and an enlarged portion I I0 to hold it in position in the chamber 08 in fluidtight relation. The seat member I02 is provided on its upper end with a conical valve seat II2 connected by a bore II4 to an enlarged bore I I6 at its lower end to receive an inlet tube.

The ball 98 may be of any suitable resilient material such for example as neoprene that is chemically inert in and impervious to, within practical limits, the fluid being compressed. The ball 98 is of large diameter in relation to the diameter of the chamber 88 leaving a small clearance space H8.

The outlet valve shown in Fig. 1 and in detail in Figs. 3 and 4 also consists of a resilient ball 98, a cylindrical conical ended chamber 90 provided with a valve seat 9I, screw threads I20 and a stop member I22. The chamber 90 is consmall bore I24 communicating with the outlet side of one of the pumping chambers I00.

The stop member I22 is provided with screw threads I26 and an enlarged portion I28 to hold it in position in the chamber 90 and prevent leakage of fluid. The stop member I22 has an upwardly extending cylindrical flat topped stop portion I30 to limit the movement of the ball 98 when fluid is forced out through the valve 40. The stop portion I30 has somewhat more diametrical clearance in the chamber 90 than the ball 98. The chamber 99 is provided with a radial bore I32 positioned below the top of the stop portion I50 and communicating with the bores 90 in the spacer 94 forming part of the fluid outlet passages.

A fluid inlet tube I34 as shown in Fig. 2 extends through the lower flange of the housing I0 and connects with two branch tubes I36 by a suitable coupling I38. The branches I30 are inserted in the bores IIB of the inlet valve seat members I02 and are secured thereto as by brazing to form a non-leaking conduit to the inlet valves.

Compressed fluid is forced out through bores I32 and bores 90 to bores I48 in the lower walls of the motor housing I4. The bores I40 are extended upwardly to a point above the oil level by tubes I42 discharging into the upper reservoir space I44 in the housing It.

A fluid outlet I44 is mounted in the top of the shell I0, and is provided with a suitable filter I40 to separate liquid particles or other non-gaseous matter from the fluid being compressed.

The space within the shell is filled with lubricating oil approximately to a level indicated at I50 and the parts of the refrigerant compressor mechanism are provided with suitable oil holes and oil grooves to admit oil for lubricating purposes.

The operation of my novel and improved motor-compressor unit is as follows: When the electric motor is energized, the electromotive force will rotate the rotor 30 in a known manner, and the shaft 32 and the crank-like driving element 36. The crank pin 50 acts through bearing 62 to cause a rolling gyratory movement of the impeller 38 about its spherical center 56 with its flat impeller surface in radial contact with the frustoconical surface 82 of the pad 42.

It will be noted here that although the crank pin 50 travels in a conically rotating path, there is no rotation of the impeller 38 relative to the pad 42, any tendency to such rotation being prevented by the blades it projecting into the The valve seat member I02 is generally cylin- 5 grooves 65 in the impeller The blades "it of the abutment member 40 divide the space between the surface 82 and the impeller 33 into two pumping chambers I00 having identical operating characteristics.

The driving motor will be caused to rotate in a direction such that the radial rotating contact will first pass over the inlet opening I04 and roll around to the outlet opening I24, compressing the entrapped against the blades I6 and out through the outlet valve bore I24. The pumping chamber I00 behind the radial rotating contact will progressively increase as the contact advances around its orbit until the radial rotating contact reaches a point midway across the opposite pumping space.

As the pumping space expands in volume, fluid will be drawn into it through the inlet bore I04, the flow of fluid carrying the valve ball 98 01? its seat II2 to permit the fluid to pass through nected at its upper end by a diagonally extending the space II8. After the pumping space I00 assaom 5. reaches the above described stage iof maximum volume, further rotation of the radial contact serves first to reverse the flow of .fluid in the inlet valve chamber 88, carrying the ball 98 back against its sea-t whereupon further retrograde force causes the ball 98 to impinge and distort on its seat H2 providing a broad and effective seal against further retrograde flow.

Further rotation of the radial contact then compresses the entrapped fluid :until its pressure is more than the back pressure of the fluid below th pressure seated hall 9.8 the outlet valve chamber 98. The superior pressure forces fluid down through the bore I24 forcing the ball 98 off its conical seat 9|, fluid flowing around the ball to the outlet passages. These conditions will prevail until the rotating contact reaches a point close to the bore I24 when the outflow of fluid ceases and the retrograde pressure then causes fluid to carry the resilient ball 98 back to its seat 9| whereupon it impinges and distorts on its seat to provide a wide and effective seal against further retrograde flow.

The ball 98 being mounted in a carrier with very small clearance can move away from its seat in its entirety to the amount of the clearance in the cage, and can be distorted due to the resiliency of the material of which it is formed. No return springs are required in view of the above described action The ball is of relatively large size as compared with the size of surface against which it seats and therefore has good seating qualities to insure closing the inlet and outlet ports. Long life under normal operating conditions is assured. Since the ball 98 is of light weight construction no large inertia forces are encountered as the valve moves and distorts to open and close the inlet and outlet ports. No close tolerances are involved, and the valve is easy to make and install.

I claim:

1. A compressor unit comprising stationary and movable members forming a part spherical chamber, the stationary member being slotted and having a conical surface forming one wall of said chamber, a. bearing member having radially extending blades oscillatable in the slot in said stationary member, the movable member being formed with a recess having a part spherical surface and a plane surface contacting said conical surface in line contact, said movable member being mounted for gyration about the apex of said conical surface and controlling the oscillation of said blades and cooperating therewith and with said conical surface to form spaced compression chambers, inlet and outlet passages communicating with said compression chambers, and valves controlling said passages.

2. A fluid pump comprising a gyratory member, a stationary pad having spaced inlet and outlet passages, check valves controlling said passages and having resilient light weight distortable balls acting as valve members, the pad having a frustoconical surface, a ball centered at the geometrical apex of the conical surface, radially extending blades carried by the ball, the stationary pad being contoured to receive the ball and having a slot to receive said blades, the periphery of the pad below the conical surface being formed as a zone of a sphere, the gyratory member having a plane surface to engage the conical surface of the pad and an outer bearing member having an inner spherical surface to receive the spherical surface of the pad, said blades having cylindrical outer surfaces to fit against the inner spherical surface of the bearing .member to divide the space between the gyratory member and pad into two compression chambers having identical characteristics wherein movement of the gyratory member induces radial contact around the conical surface of the pad, the compression chamber ahead of the rolling contact diminishing in volume and the compression chamber behind enlarging in volume as the radial contact progresses.

3. In a refrigerant compressor, a compressor unit including a stationary pad having spherical side walls and a frustoconical upper surface, a gyratory impeller having a plane surface to engage said upper surface in rolling relation and having a peripheral wall formed with a concave surface engaging said side walls in sliding gastight relation, a bearing member interposed between the pad and said impeller and having radially extending blades positioned in vertical slots in the pad to divide the space therebetween into spaced compression chambers, inlet and outlet ports communicating with spaced portions of each compression chamber, inlet and outlet valves controlling said ports, and eccentric driving means to move said impeller in a gyratory path relative to the upper surface of the pad.

4. A refrigerant compressor comprising a stationary pad havin a conical shaped top and spherical shaped side walls, a gyratory member having a substantially flat surface to contact and roll around the conical shaped top surface of the pad in a radial gyratory motion and having a peripheral wall formed with a concave surface engaging said side walls in sliding gas tight relation, a spherical abutment member interposed between the pad and the gyratory member and having radially extended blades movable in slots formed in the pad to divide the space between the pad and the gyratory member into spaced compression chambers, inlet and outlet ports in each of the compression chambers, and valves controlling said ports.

5. A refrigerant compressor comprising a compressor unit including a stationary pad having spherical side walls and a frustoconical surface, a gyratory member having a plane surface engagin the frustoconical surface of the pad and having a peripheral wall formed with a concave surface engaging said side walls in sliding gastight relation, a bearing member interposed between the pad and said member and having radially extending blades movable in radial slots in the pad to divide the space between the pad and said gyratory member into spaced compression chambers, inlet and outlet ports in said compression chambers, and valves controlling said ports in response to variations of fluid flow through the ports.

6. In a compressor, a gyratory impeller having a concave peripheral wall shaped to define a zone of a hemisphere, a pad having a spherical bearing surface shaped to engage said peripheral wall in sliding gas-tight relation, said impeller being mounted for rolling gyration about its geometric center to define a cone, said pad having a frustoconical surface lying in said cone and having radial slots, an abutment member pivotally mounted in said slots for oscillation about an axis passing through said geometric center to divide the space between the impeller and the pad into pumping chambers operable to compress fiuid by rolling radial contact between the impeller and the pad, an inlet and an outlet for each of said pumping chambers, and valves controlling said inlets and outlets.

'7. A compressor comprising a male stationary member and a female gyratory impeller together definin a part-spherical chamber, said stationary member having a. conical surface projecting into said chamber and having a vertical slot, said stationary member being formed with a convex part-spherical surface, said impeller having a concave part-spherical surface contacting said convex part-spherical surface and having a plane surface contacting said conical surface, an abutment member having blades mounted for oscillation in said slot, bores at opposite sides of said blades forming fluid inlets and outlets, and valves comprising resilient balls controlling said fluid inlets and outlets.

DAVID O. MANSEAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,638,183 Bylger Aug. 9, 1927 2,015,826 Vincent Oct. 1, 1935 2,101,051 Cuny Dec. 7, 1937 10 2,252,924 Hale Aug. 19, 1941 2,306,608 Hubacker Dec. 29, 1942 2,375,923 Johnson May 15, 1945' FOREIGN PATENTS 15 Number Country Date 522,845 Germany Mar. 26, 1931 

